Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) Solution to fulfill a requirement for Defense Commissary Agency

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a potential new requirement.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP). NO SOLICITATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

DeCA recognizes that grocers today must balance the needs of in-store and digital shoppers with high-quality, fresh, in-stock products to meet demand. They must do so efficiently while delivering exceptional customer experiences that engage shoppers and build loyalty for the long haul. This requires optimized sourcing, regional assortments, efficient use of store resources and a focus on delivering the benefit to our patrons. Managing a grocery store and distribution center requires a combination of software capabilities to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and improve overall management.

DeCA seeks information from industry to implement new Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) capabilities while maintaining current ESLs. The ESL describes a system used by retailers to display product information, particularly pricing, for items on electronic labels linked to a system which enables near-instant updates. ESLs provide pricing information to the shelf via an electronic module. The display screen shows the price of the item and the unit cost based on the price of the item. All stores currently employing ESL utilize the PRICER labeling system.

The purpose of this (RFI) is to identify vendors capable of providing DeCA with sustainment of the existing legacy system followed by wholesale replacement with a new ESL solution in both CONUS and OCONUS locations.

GENERAL

1) Background: DeCA operates approximately 240 military commissaries worldwide, totaling approximately 3000 lanes including self-checkouts. Of that total, nearly 180 stores are in Continental United States (CONUS) locations, including Alaska and Hawaii. Approximately 60 stores are located outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) locations. The total number of commissaries operated globally is subject to change based on the needs of the military services. Commissaries support approximately 12 million United States military customers (Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard), military retirees, and family members. Commissaries are designed and operate similarly to commercial grocery stores.

2) Scope: The objective is to replace existing legacy ESLs with up-to-date ESL technology. At present, DeCA operates 65 large stores (~25,000 ESL each), 152 medium stores (~20,000 ESL) and 19 small stores (~15,000 ESL).

3) Proposed Solution: DeCA seeks particulars regarding the proposed solution as described below:

• High-level operational diagram of proposed ESL solution, including infrastructure, external dependencies, proposed interfaces such as Application Programming Interface (API), etc
• Description of proposed ESL hardware (display size / type, color / monochrome, battery life, etc)
• Description of capabilities to visually tag' individual or groups of items, such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC) eligibility, ON SALE / promotion, etc
• Description of capabilities to update ESL displays and timeframes to do so, individually or in groups
• Description of store-level infrastructure requirements to implement the solution (power, network, etc)
• Description of life-cycle supply chain logistics, specifically the extent of user (store)-level maintenance, spares availability, lead times, etc
• Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) pricing for the sustainment and replacement of legacy equipment and installation of new equipment, including five (5) years of sustainment support. This ROM should include clear banded pricing per store category as described at (2) above.

4) Vendor Information: In addition to addressing technical and functional characteristics listed in sections 2-3 provide, DeCA requests information described below.

a) Company Profile

• Company name, address, company size, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, Points of Contact (corporate and technical as appropriate)
• Company size associated with NAICS code 541519 (Other Computer Related Services size standard $34M)

b) Core Competencies

• Overview of type(s) of Retail / Grocery Solutions
• Specializations in specific industries or sectors
• Details of any methodologies or frameworks used in retail solution(s)

c) Security and Compliance

• Description of any security measures and protocols associated with the proposed ESL solution
• Any relevant facility security clearances or certifications necessary to work with Government agencies

RESPONSE GUIDELINES

Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a White Paper. Submissions cannot exceed ten (10) standard 8.5 x 11 pages, single-spaced, 12-point type (Arial, Times, or similar) with one-inch margins. The response may not exceed 5 MB in total. Responses shall specifically describe the contractor's capability to meet the requirements outlined in this RFI. Proprietary information should be minimized and CLEARLY MARKED. To aid DeCA, please segregate proprietary information. Oral communications are not permissible at the time. SAM.gov will be the sole repository for all information related to this RFI.

Vendors who wish to respond to this RFI should send responses via email no later than March 13, 2024, at 4PM CST to Kristen Abbott at kristen.m.abbott2.civ@mail.mil.

The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS

After review of submitted White Papers, DeCA representatives may invite a subset of vendors for discussions or presentations during a prescribed Industry Day. Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, including any development and certification risks.

QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to Carmelyn Anne L.G. Bryan at carmelynanne.bryan.civ@mail.mil, and Kristen Abbott at kristen.m.abbott2.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Answers to questions will be posted to SAM.gov. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after March 6, 2024 at 4PM CST will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses.

DISCLAIMER

This RFI is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in the RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. FAR 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes , is incorporated by reference in this RFI. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This RFI will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received in this RFI that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.